Electromechanical system to avoid railway collisions.



ATTILIO BEER, DECD. BY CESIRA BEER w|0ow counz pzclo BONAMINI). HEIR ATLAW. ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM TO AVOID RAILWAY COLLISIONS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- I2, 1911- 1,147,596.

Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET].

WITNESSES ATTILIO BEER, DECD. BY CESIRA BEER (wwow CONTE DECIOBONAMINI). HEIR AT LAW- ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM TO AVOID RAILWAYCOLLISIONS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-12' 19H.

Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES AT'IILIO BEER, DECEASED, LATE or vENIcE, manner c s Ee BEER,wizoovv 'ooN'rE DECIO EoivAMInr. or PESARO, ITALY, HEIB AT LAW or SAIDATTILIO BEER.

ELEGTROMEGI-IANICAL SYSTEM TO AVOID RAILWAY GQ L I JISION'SP Lie-wee.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 29, 1915.

Original application filed. June 21, 1909, Serial No. 503,488. Dividedand this application filed August 12,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that A'rrILio BEER, deceased,formerly a subject of the King of Italy, lately residing at Venice,Italy, (CESIRA BEER, (widow BoNAinNn) of Pesaro, Italy,

of manually operated controlling apparatus and partly by the trains.

According to the invention an electric slot device is provided forconnecting the motor or operating rod to the signal arm in which the.armature of the slot magnet in its inoperative or normal position is atsuch a distance from the poles of the magnet as to be beyond theinfluence of the latter, and is moved into its operative position nearthe poles of the slot magnet by the first part of the movement of themotor or of the operating rod in setting the signal. With thisarrangement there is no danger of the armaturebeing energized by straycurrents traversing the slot magnet and thus accidentally connecting thesignal to the operating parts when this is not desired.

The invention further consists in the arrangement and combination of thevarious devices constituting the improved signal operating mechanism asdescribed hereinafter and pointed out in the claims. The

improved signal operating mechanism is de-' signed more particularly foremployment with the railway block signaling system described in thespecification accompanying application Serial No. 503488 but the scopeof the invention is not restricted to the said system as the inventioncan advantageously be employed in any railway signaling systern where itis desired to control the signals electrically. I

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates diagrammaticallysignal operating mechanisms constructed and arranged in accordance withthe invention, and adapted to be actuated electrically, while Figs. 2

and 3 show the essential parts of similar Serial No. 643,745.

mechanism adapted to be actuated hand,

both forms of the mechanism being controlled electrically.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings,

the signal, preferably of the usual sema-' phore type, is electricallyactuated by means of the electric motor 1 which is connected to theshaftv 2 through suitable gearing, the motor shaft being provided with aratchet device 3 so as to insure rotation in one direc vtiononly. Theshaft 2 carries a diskfil provided with one or IIIOI'G'PlIlS 5 adaptedto engage with slots in a winding drum 6 loosely mounted'upon the shaft2. The disk 4 is keyed on to the shaft 2 and the winding drum 6 isarranged to be held in engagement with the pins 5 on the disk l by meansor a moved out of engagement with the said pins:

by means of arms 9 pivoted at1Oan'dattached to lever 11 formingi thearmature of an electro-magnet 12. The lever 11 when released from theelectro -magnet 12 falls andcauses the arms .9 to move the winding drumBout of engagement with the pins 5 against the action of the weightedbell crank, lever 7 ,"8 so as to effect a disengagement of' and theweight 16 being mounted on opposite arms of a lever arranged to beretained in its attracted position, when moved thereto by theelectro-magnet 15, by means of Weighted catch'18 having a releasing arm19.

weighted bell crank lever 7,] 8 and to bel The'electro-m'agnet 12 isprovided with an auxiliary armature 20, which, when the electro-magnetis energized, closesa switch 21 connected'in the circuit of the electro-mag IlBt 15. v

The signal is operated by means of a cord 22 attached to a lever 23 andadapted to be wound upon the drum 6 as will be hereinafter described.Thele ver 23 is pivoted at 24 and is, connectedjto the signal rod 25.The finger 26 is pivoted at 27 and is connected by means ofa' rod 28 tothe lever 11. A pin or projection 29 on the lever 23 serves to move thelever 11 forming the armature of the electro-magnet 12 withinmagnetizable distance from the poles ofthe latter as the lever 23 ispulled down by the motor 1 in setting the signal. The lever 23 is alsoprovided with a pin 30 adapted, when in its lowest position to engagewith the releasing arm 19 of the catch 18. The rod 28 is provided with apin 31 adapted to engage with a pivoted lever 32 carrying a movablecontact 33 adapted to co-act with fixed contacts 34-, so that when thefinger 26 is released by the disengagement of the pin 29 and the lever11 is released by the deenergizing of the electro-magnet 12, the saidfinger and rod 28 may be dispensed with if desired .without departingfrom the scope of the present invention.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: Upon the electro-magnet 12being energized the auxiliary armature 20 is at tracted and closes theswitch 21, thereby connecting the electro-magnet 15 in circuit, so thatif the circuit of this electro-magnet is afterward completed theelectro-magnet will be energized and will move its armature 17 to closethe switch 14, the armature 17 being held in its closed position bymeans of the catch 18. The motor cricuit is thus closed and the windingdrum 6 being operated by the motor will wind up the cord 22 and draw thelever 23 into its lowest position, thereby operating the signal rod 25to move the signal to the safety or off position. On the lever 23 beingpulled down in the manner just described the pin 29 which moves in thearc of a circle about the center 24% presses a projection 26 on thefinger 26 to the left. This causes the finger 26 to rotate momentarilyaround the pivot 27 in the counter clockwise direction thereby raisingthe rod 28 and the lever 11 so that the armature on the end of saidlever is brought nearer to the magnet 12. The lever 23 will continue tomove downward until the pin 30 strikes the releasing arm 19 of the catch18. As the circuit of the electromagnet 15 has in normal working alreadybeen opened at a point not shown on the drawing the releasing of thecatch 18 will allow the switch 14c to open and thus interrupt the motorcircuit; the signal will therefore remain in the safety position untilthe current in the electro-magnet 12 is interrupted, in which case thelever 11 and finger 26 connected thereto by rod 28 will fall freely andbring the arms 9 into engagement with the winding drum 6 so as to moveit out of engagement with the pins 5. As the finger 26 and rod 28descend the pin 31 on the latter engages the lever 32 and brings thecontact 33 into engagement with the fixed contacts 3a, 35. Thecounterweight on the singal arm will then move the signal back to thedanger position, the cord 22 being unwound from the winding drum 6 whichis now disconnected from the motor 1. As the lever 23 rises under theaction of the signal counterweight to its normal position illustrated inthe drawing the pin 29 thereon again engages under the finger 26 andlifts this, together with rod 28 and lever 11, into its initialposition. As the pin 31 releases lever 32 the counterweight on the endof the latter separates the contact 33 from the fixed contacts 34, 35and the whole of the parts again take up the position shown in thedrawing ready for the next operation. It should be noted that theauxiliary armature 20 is pivotally mounted in such a manner as tomaintain the switch 21 in its open position when the electro-magnet isdeenergized.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, which illustrates a form of theinvention adapted for manually operated signals, the semaphore operatingmechanism is shown as comprising two rods 37, 38, the former of which isconnected to the signal arm and the latter to the operating rod. Theserods are supported in brackets 39, 40, 4,1 and the upper extremity ofthe rod 38 is forked to receive the lower extremity of the rod 37 whichis provided with a slot 42 within which a pin 13 attached to the rod 38is adapted to slide. On either side of the rod 38 are two similarlyshaped plates n and 15 rotatably mounted on the pin 13 and extendingupwardly on both sides of the rod 37. The upper portions of the plates44s and 45 are provided with projections as shown in Figs. 2 and 3adapted, under certain conditions, to engage with a pin 46 attached tothe rod 37, as will be hereafter ex plained. Botatably mounted on a pin47 attached to the casing is a plate 48 rigidly connected to a channelpiece l9 which pro jects on either side of the rods 37 and 38. Thechannel piece 49 is provided with slots 50 adapted to receive rings 51,52 surround ing the pin 43 which engage with the sides of said slotsand, in the normal position of the apparatus, retain the plate 48 in theposition shown in Fig. 2 in which the plate 18 lies close to the rod 37.Adjacent to the plate 42, a sector shaped plate 53 is pro Ii videdrotatably mounted on a pin 5% attached to the casing, and attached tothis sector-shaped portion 53 is an arm 55 adapted to project within aslot 56 formed in an arm 57 rotatably mounted on a pin 58 atff-ia tachedto the casing. The arm 57 carries the armature 59 of a magnet 60 and thearmature 59 normally rests upon the upper extremity of a finger 61rotatably mounted on a pin 62. The finger 61 owing to its weightnormally rests on a pin 63 attached to the rod 38 and is provided with acam surface 64. A weight is attached to the armature 59 so that thearmature is normally beyond the influence of the electromagnet 60, thatis to say, in an inoperative position, and the location of said weightmay be so varied that the armature 59 falls on to the finger 61 when theapparatus is used in either a horizontal or in a vertical position.

The operation of the apparatus'is as follows: hen it is desired to movethe signal arm into the off or safety position, the rod 38 is drawn inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, by means of theoperating lever, and the pin 63 acting on the cam surface 64 raises thefinger 61 thereby raising the arm 57 bringing the armature 59 withinmagnetizable distance of the electro-magnet 60, that is into anoperative position. The arm 57 being raised, the lower edge of the slot56 which is in engagement with the arm causes the sector shaped plate 53to rotate on the pin 54. The plates 44 and 45 and pin 43 with rings 51and 52 slide respectively along the flat parts of the plate 48, and thesides of the slot 42' formed in rod 37 and slot 50 formed in the channelpiece 49, so that the rod 37 attached to the signal arm, during thismovement of the rod 38 remains stationary. As the rod 38 continues tomove, pin 63 passes beyond the cam surface 64 on the finger 61 so thatthe latter rests upon the pin 63 and follows its downward movement. Atthe same time the rings 51 and 52 leave the slots cut in the channelpiece 49 and the projections 66 on the plates 44 and 45 approach the pin46. If the electro-magnet 60 is energized so as to attract the armature59 and retain it in its attracted position against the action of theweight 65 the sector 53 remains in the position to which it has beenmoved and the plate 48 is thus prevented from rotating on the pin 47.The plates 44 and 45 therefore are prevented from rotating on the pin 43and when the projection 66 comes into contact with the pin 46 thecontinued movement of the rod 38 draws down said pin 46 and with it therod 37 to which it is attached, moving the signal arm to the safetyposition. Should the electro-magnet 60 not be energized the armature 59and the arm 57 will follow the downward movement of the finger 61carrying the armature 59 into an inoperative position and since the arm55 will fall by its own weight, the sector 53 will rotate on the pin 54and be no longer maintained in engagement with the plate 48. The latterbeing, therefore, free to rotate, the downward movement of the plate 44will no longer draw down the rod 37 since the projections 66 will slippast the pin 46, rotating the plates 44 and 45 on the pin 43, forcingout the plate 48 and leaving the rod 37 in its normal position of restwith the signal at danger. If, after the rod 37 has been pulled down asfirst described, the electro-magnet 60 should become de energized, thearmature 59 under the influ-- ence of the weight 65 will detach itselffrom the magnet and, owing to the slot 56, will fall freely until thetop edge of the slot 56 strikes the upper portion of the arm :55. Thesector 53 will therefore rotate and allow the plate 48 to turn on thepin 47 ,Ithus permitting the plates 44 and 45 to rotate on the pin 43and thereby releasing the pin 46 and enabling the rod 37 to return toits normal position. It will be seen that by this arrangement and bysuitably varying the position of the weight 65, this device can beoperated in either a horizontal or in a vertical position. Moreover, thearmature 59 being normally beyond the magnetic in-. fluence of theelectro-magnet 60, that is to say in an inoperative position, anypossibility of the satisfactory operation of the device being affectedby stray currents energizing the magnet 60 is avoided.

Iclaim as my invention 1. In apparatus for controlling a railway signal,a counter-weight normally holding the signal in danger position, anelectric motor, signal operating mechanism, a device normally retainingthe motor in connection with the said mechanism, a counteracting devicecapable, when released, of overcoming the action of the first mentioneddevice and of disconnecting the motor from the signal operatingmechanism, a connection from the signal to the said counteracting devicenormally holding the latter out of action, a slot magnet co5perating,when energized, with said connection upon the counteracting device, andmeans for energizing the slot magnet.

2. In apparatus for controlling a railway signal, a counter-weightnormally holding the signal in danger position, an electric motor,signal operating mechanism, a gravityactuated device normally retainingthe motor in connection with said mechanism, a weighted lever capable,when released, of overcoming the action of said gravity-actuated deviceand of disconnecting the motor from the signal operating mechanism, amechanical connection between the signal operating mechanism and thesaid weighted lever enabling the latter to be normally held out ofaction by the signal counter-weight,. a slot magnet, an armature on theweighted lever attracted by the slot magnet when energized, anelectro-magnetic switch also acted upon by the slot magnet andcontrolling the circuit of the electric motor, and means forenergizingthe slot magnet.

3. In apparatus for controlling an electrically operated railway signal,an electric motor for bringing the signal into clear position inopposition to a counter-weight, a source of current in circuit with themotor, a relay magnet controlling the said circuit, a slot magnetcontrolled from a signal cabin for controlling the circuit of the relay,and means also controlled by the slot magnet, and actuated upon thedeenergizing of the same, for disconnecting the motor from the signal inorder to allow the-latter to return from clear to danger position.

i. In apparatus for controlling an electrically operated railway signal,the combination with a signal operating rod, and an electric motor foroperating the same, of a relay controlling the motor circuit, a slotmagnet controlling the circuit of the relay, a gravity actuated devicetending normally to retain the motor in engagement with the said signaloperating rod, a weighted lever controlled by the slot magnet for automatically disconnecting the motor from the signal operating rod when theslot magnet is deenergized, and means operated by the signal operatingrod for engaging and moving the said weighted lever to its inoperativeposition as the signal moves from its safety to its danger position.

5. In controlling apparatus for electrically operated railway signals, asignal operating lever, a winding drum, a motor for operating thewinding drum, a gravity-actuated device tending normally to retain themotor in engagement with the winding drum, a weighted lever forautomatically disconnecting the motor, a slot magnet controlling theoperation of the said lever, and means for returning the said lever intoits initial position under the action of the signal operating lever.

6. In apparatus for controlling an electrically operated railway signal,a signal operating rod and an electric motor normally in operativeconnection therewith for bringing the signal into its'clear position, aslot magnet controlling thecircuit of the motor, a weighted lever fordisconnecting the motor from the signal operating rod underpredetermined conditions of the track, an armature carried by theweighted lever, a mechanical connection between the signal operating rodand the weighted lever normally supporting the latter from the former,and a cam device attached to, or forming part of, the said mechanicalconnection, for lifting the weighted lever into the effective Zone ofthe slot magnet by the first movement of the operating rod in loweringthe signal.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CESIRA BEER,

(WIDOW BONAMINL) [a s.] Sole heir at law of Attil'io Beer, deceased.

Witnesses:

AnoLro GIDoNI FU CARLO, SLUE TI-IAYN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

